


Ice

by valkyriors



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Near Death, besties, ill, sick, taking care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:13:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24788281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valkyriors/pseuds/valkyriors
Summary: Request: Some angsty Doctor x reader where the reader almost freezes to death on an ice planet while they’re investigating on an adventure and the Doctor has to save them/take care of them? I was thinking the 12th Doctor but feel free to choose any of them
Relationships: Twelfth Doctor & Reader, Twelfth Doctor/Reader
Kudos: 58





	Ice

“Hush, little baby, don’t say a word.” Your voice cracked, breaking down into a much smaller, weaker, whisper. “Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.”

A terrible sob left your mouth, pathetic in the fact that your body barely had the energy to make the sound. You felt as if you had run through the ice and snow of god-knows what planet you were on for days. It felt like a cruel trick, everything looking the same, not a mountain or a hill seemed to be any closer even if you ran for miles.

The light still shone the same no matter how long you waited, not a flicker difference. And now the cold was poisoning you. The icy air that had only numbed your fingers and toes had begun to make your whole body shake- a violent shake that made it even harder to walk. 

You were dying, you thought. You were sure of it, and nobody would even know.

The fighter in you wanted to scream out at the sun for looking so warm but offering none of the heat it promised. You were sure the ice was now making you delirious. Your brain felt just as useless as your fingers and you couldn’t feel how roughly your feet had begun to drag across the snowy ground. 

Before you knew it your body collapsed to the ground, disgracefully. The thud sound faded as snow infiltrated your ears on the side of your body you had landed on, not that you noticed. All you could feel for a few short moments of bliss was the calming feel of the snow on your head that had been pounding and hot. 

You could have swore you felt your body melt away into the snow, your skin and bones trickling away like water in a pipe. Your body would collapse in on itself, fading away so quickly and quietly not a soul would know you were ever there. 

Part of you imagined you would be a beautiful crystal in the ice, never melting, but reflecting the sun in a way so beautifully others would feel compelled to sit in the snow just a little bit longer. You needed one last daydream to carry you to sleep peacefully as your body shrivelled up and died in the cold. 

You couldn’t tell if your eyes were open or shut anymore, your vision feeling empty. There was an orange glow in your view, you were positive, but every colour in the rainbow felt empty. Maybe you were forgetting what things meant, how things feel. 

A shiver ran through your body, one that made you wriggle from your head to your toes, constricted by a blanket wrapped tightly around your body. Wait, where were you?

You wriggled again to try and get a clear look of where you were. Your head spun like a carousel, your head not following your neck as you tried to move, like it didn’t recognise it. Your vision was blurry too, maybe the water from the ice was stinging the corners of your eyes; you couldn’t tell. Warmth and cold filled you, dizzy in the harsh mix of temperatures.

Sighing you let yourself fall back onto what you assumed was a bed, staring up at the ceiling patiently as you waited for your vision to clear. ‘Tired’ was all through your body, a heavy feeling weighing your muscles down (though maybe it was the blankets). Under the covers of your makeshift bed you gently moved your fingers, clenching into a few fists a couple times and you were relieved to feel warmth had returned to them.

You let the sound of your breathing and your heart beating fill your ears, not really able to feel much else. The way your head pounded felt like you’d just woke up from being knocked out. But you didn’t mind, because the cool silver you recognised as the TARDIS’s interior became clearer for you to see, and you smiled gently to yourself, relieved. 

Wait, no. Maybe you should be angry at the Doctor, after all he was the one who-

“Ah! You’re awake!” Before you could finish your thought you heard a familiar voice, old, croaky and most definitely scottish. It was like terrible music to your ears (His voice was not the most melodic). “Thank god.” His shout from the opposite side of the room was now a quieter voice, you could feel his presence next to you.

You couldn’t be mad at him. 

“Ow.” You replied with a heavy voice, sounding like you needed to cough; you didn’t have the energy to force one out. 

“Yes, ow.” Your Doctor replied from beside you, you were sure he would be pulling some kind of face. Why am I so bitter? You thought, squeezing your eyes shut for a moment. “Your head must be pounding,” Can he hear my thoughts? “You were out there a while.”

“Mhm.” You mumbled grumpily, once again trying to shift your body- it was to no avail. “Can you-”

Faux tutting, the Doctor reached behind you and quickly pulled your pillows upright, then lifting you by your arms gently so that you were closer to sitting up. “Thanks.” You said quietly, giving him a weak smile. 

He gave you a small, genuine smile back- which was very rare. He felt guilty, incredibly guilty, and since this version of him wasn’t too good with words and emotions he used his face as best as he could. He even gave your hand a small squeeze. 

It was his fault you’d been stuck out in the ice for so long, too distracted by the latest goings-on. He’d stopped them of course, but by the time he’d ran out to find you you had passed out in the snow.

He was sure that if he hadn’t spent so much time chatting and distracting them you wouldn’t have been so ill- leaving a sickly, sickly feeling in the pit of his stomach like he hadn’t felt in a long time. He was so glad you were okay, but that wasn’t the point. He was reckless.

You weren’t really looking at him, not enough to notice his apologetic expression. Your eyes had drifted to behind him, the console of the TARDIS in view. You must have been lying near the top of the stairs, you concluded. But you knitted your eyebrows in confusion. 

“Your head is spinning, literally.” The Doctor said with a chuckle, moving to press a warm compress against your head. He pushed against you slightly, pressing your head against the pillows so you stopped moving from side to side. You hadn’t even realised you were physically moving your head until he did so. 

“Um, why are we-” You paused, the raspiness of your voice feeling so odd in your throat. You most definitely needed a glass of water, but your throat still felt so cold. “Why are we in here?”

You looked at him now, an oddly fond smile on his face. It felt strange having him sat nursing you in bed, him never being the overly warm type. Not that you minded of course, you knew he cared for you and he didn’t need to say it. Plus you liked poking at him the few times you’d nearly gotten injured and he had worried about you.

This time was different- you actually had gotten injured and you weren’t sure he was in the mood for jokes. You didn’t blame him, not really. You were sure you were he’d spent the next week apologising and you saying you didn’t mind, not really. You’d probably enjoy torturing him and holding it over his head, maybe for a week. 

What was strange was the fact that the Doctor, your grumpy Doctor who didn’t like hugs (or much contact in general), was now nursing you like he’d done this a million times over. It was… fatherly. He was far more suited to the begrudging best friend type. 

“Ah! Well...” He called out in a near whisper, an almost excited smile crossing his face. He rocked his body back and turned to look at the console just like you had been. God, men and their engines. “I thought this was a much more exciting view.”

You wanted to shake your head at him, instead opting for an eye roll that he just about caught. He turned back to you smiling, a much smaller smile as he once again took in your appearance.

Your skin was sickly pale, the warmth of your cheeks almost completely gone- even your lips were turning grey. Not to mention the fact you could barely move your body. He knew you had been minutes away from dying, and he was sure that if anyone else had saved you you’d have died regardless. He couldn’t think of it.

He instead focused on the lazy smile that played on your lips, happy to see him and maybe happy he was completely okay. 

Before he did much else he ushered a glass of water to you, a swirly straw meeting your lips so you could take a long overdue sip. If you weren’t so thirsty you’d probably make a comment about the straw. It was pink, and had a princess stuck on the side. 

“I’m sorry.” He spoke quietly, looking away for a brief second. You raised your eyebrow, huh, this felt like something that should get put in the history books. There must be history books about the Doctor, you thought. He cleared his throat. “Sorry about the terrible bed, I mean. I made it up in a hurry.”

“Uh-huh.” You said with a light chuckle, squeezing his hand that was still covering yours for a moment. “I uh, I can barely feel it. You could’ve put me straight on the floor I wouldn’t know.”

Neither of you laughed, just a small hum from the Doctor. Maybe it was too early. “Well at least we didn’t lose your sense of humour in the snow.” He said with a small smile.

You chuckled lightly, at least he wasn’t being too odd. Tension with him was never fun. “What, did we lose anything else?” You replied half-joking.

“Yes, two of your toes.” He replied, far too quickly. Your eyes went wide immediately, maybe still a bit too delirious to realise. 

“What?” You squeaked in what was probably the closest thing you could muster to a shout. When the Doctor just laughed you fell back onto the pillows in a huff. “Idiot.” You faltered.

It felt far better to have him joke with you than how you’d assumed he’d act otherwise. And it was good to be in the TARDIS, sitting next to him. You knew your own bed would feel far too lonely and it was far better than getting shoved in a hospital bed- plus the Doctor was your best friend, there was no one else you’d want to be with. 

You watched as he stood up, dancing over to the console in his usual swagger and pressing some buttons. Your body felt horrible, your head absolutely throbbing, but you were happy to be where you were. Watching the TARDIS was enough to let you daydream of all the adventures you’d be able to have as soon as you’d recover.

Well, maybe you’d need some painkillers first, too. 

“I was thinking,” He paused looking to you, then gesturing to the machine. “Time machine. Spaceship. Any food in the world that you want I can go and get.” Your stomach grumbled at the thought, you hadn’t realised how hungry you were- hell you didn’t even know how long you had been passed out. 

Wait, you paused, what bloody time of day is it? You quickly ran through whether or not it was suitable to ask for breakfast if it was 7pm. Or to want a kebab if it was sunrise. 

“Um…” You fell silent in your thoughts for a moment. You never knew what food you wanted, especially when given all the options in the world- literally. “There’s a takeaway near my house- best burger in the world.” Your eyes lit up at the idea, god you hadn’t had junk food like that since you’d started travelling with the Doctor. You missed it. You always seemed to eat in between doing things now.

Oh, he was staring at you. “What?” You grumbled tiredly. Please don’t take my dream food from me. 

“All the options in the world and you want a £3 burger?” You almost gasped at him for that. Trust an alien to underestimate the healing powers of a british takeaway. 

“Do you even eat?” You retorted, pulling a sour face at him. Sighing he moved back to pressing his buttons, begrudgingly setting his destination to your town. Humans, he thought. 

Watching him go you laughed slightly, coherence beginning to return to your brain. “Thanks grandad!” You called to him with a grin.

“Watch it.” He warned, shaking his head before heading to the door.


End file.
